toothbrush
by bunari
Summary: Toothiana has two options: the hallway, or Jackson Overland's room. The latter is much more appealing, so long as her heart doesn't give out on her. [ university 'my roommate sexiled me' AU. rainbow snowcone aka frostbite. ]


rated T for: general innuendos, teenage teasing, university shenanigans. u have been warned

* * *

x

 _stuck in a limbo  
half hypnotized  
each time i let you stay the night_

x

This was the last thing she needed.

It had been a _long_ day, after all – she'd just written a midterm, given a presentation before that, and before that there was a meeting for one of her multiple group projects. Both physically and mentally exhausted, Tooth ached in every possible way, and her shoulder just _wouldn't stop cracking_ gosh darn it. Was it too much to ask to lie down on her bed and sleep?

Taking a glance down at her phone (and wincing at how bright she'd turned up the screen), she supposed it was. The words ' _boy in room. need u out. let u know when it's clear_ ' glared at her, almost if mocking her. That was half an hour ago, and there had been no update from her roommate since.

Don't get her wrong; Merida was a sweetheart, if a bit wild at times. However, being coddled at home made her a bit...volatile when on her own, although she couldn't blame the girl. If Tooth were in her place, she'd probably do the same, but probably without the whole bringing-a-different-guy-home-every-week thing. With a sigh, she dropped her bag to the ground and took a seat in the hallway, leaning her head back gently until it thumped against the paper-thin wall. She was sure it wouldn't take too long, and maybe she could take a break here – after all, people hung out in the dorm hallways all the time, right? Exhaling deeply, the freshman tried to relax, focusing on nothing but the sounds around her.

The whirring air conditioner.

The chatter coming from a few doors down.

The sound of a cheesy movie, interspersed by a few throaty moans –

Yelping, Tooth quickly peeled herself from the wall attached to her room, flushing at the thought of accidently ( _really! it was an accident!_ ) hearing her roommate in the middle of...whatever she was in the middle of. Another uncharacteristic sigh slips through her lips, but before she can relocate herself to the other side of the hallway, a deep tenor echoed through the corridor.

"Tooth? What are you doing?"

She freezes, because this cannot be happening. Her luck couldn't possibly be that bad, could it? There was no possible way that was who she thought it was, with the perfect smile and the perfect eyes and the perfect laugh and the perfect _everything_ , right?

Turning slowly, Tooth feels her breath catch in her throat when she catches a glimpse of trademark white hair.

"Oh, Jack! Hi! Um, I'm not doing much, just – uh – waiting for my roommate. You know, she's catching up with a...friend! Yeah, a friend! And I didn't want to interrupt and I just can't find my room key anyways, so I'm just...waiting. Out here. Waiting." She doesn't realize how lame all of that sounds until it's too late, so Tooth sucks in another breath to keep from blabbering on any more. Jack still hasn't said anything yet – _although she can't blame him_ – and she nervously runs her hands through her hair as she awaits a response from Jack-with-the-perfect-everything.

She's ruined it now, hasn't she?

"So...You got sexiled, right?" His question comes out as more of a statement, and is followed by a bark of laughter that goes straight to her knees. It's a miracle that she remains standing.

"I, uh, I guess. I don't really know what's going on in there." Nor does Tooth want to know what's going on between her roommate and her new boytoy. "But that's one way to put it."

Jack looks her over, and she hopes that she doesn't look as tired as she feels. She also hopes that her eyeliner hasn't smudged, but that might be a lost cause, so she might as well count her blessings now.

"Why don't you just crash at my place for a bit?" His suggestion is given with an air of nonchalance as he opens the lock to his room and swings the door open. Tooth can only look at him with wide eyes, and it takes her a moment to stutter something coherent.

"Are you sure? It's late, and I wouldn't want to be a nuisance –"

"And I wouldn't want you to have to wait alone in the hallway," he retorts smartly, waltzing into his dorm easily. Hesitant, she looks from his open door to her bag on the ground. Surely, Merida wouldn't take that long, right?

(She would. Or at least, she could. She did last time.)

...Surely, she didn't have a lot to lose if she took him up on his offer, right?

(She did. Whatever remained of her dignity, namely.)

Before she could continue to weigh her options, Jack stuck his head out from the doorway with a confused look, causing her to yelp in surprise.

"Come on! Unless you'd _rather_ stay out here. I won't judge," he teases, and it's the carefree smile he sends her that really catches Tooth hook line and sinker. Quickly grabbing her stuff, she follows Jack into his room and gently closes the door shut.

It's cleaner than she thought it would be – _cleaner than other examples she'd seen from Aster and North, mainly_ – but messier than she expected for someone with a smile so white. Not that dental health was a determinant for one's cleanliness, mind you, but...yeah.

She was in _Jackson Overland's_ room.

"Oh! You have a single room? That makes so much more sense, I was wondering why I never saw any roommates." The first thing that comes to mind zips out of her mouth as she continues to look around. It was a bad habit she had, but she'd been working on it. Typically, it only acted up when she was nervous.

Which didn't help much; right now Tooth was the most nervous she'd been in ages.

"Yeah. I mean, there's nothing wrong with a roommate, but I tend to do my own thing. I'd feel bad for anyone who had to deal with me for the whole year," Jack responded, still smiling.

"I'm sure it wouldn't be that bad." Being with Jack? All year? That sounded like a _dream_.

A short chuckle catches her attention, and she watches as he makes himself at home. The room is sparsely decorated, save from a few knick-knacks from home and an extra couch that looks suspiciously like the one from the common rooms.

"Well, to each their own. I'd probably hate it, to be honest." Tooth's brow furrows at that, and she opens her mouth ready to reply, but the glimmer of something in his eyes maker her hesitate. It doesn't sit right with her – how he says that so easily - and she wants to tell him as much, but the way he looks makes her think that maybe that's a conversation for another day.

So she tucks it away in the back of her mind, and makes herself cozy on the 'borrowed' couch before switching the topic.

"Did you have a long day today too?"

xxx

They talk for ages, although it doesn't feel like it. He wasn't expecting for her to take up his offer so easily, but he's glad she did. Tooth makes for a great conversation partner and before he knows it, the clock on his desk reads 2:02 in the morning. When he points that out to her, she flushes crimson and stutters, "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. I totally didn't mean to keep you up this late."

"No worries. I'm a night owl anyways; probably would have been up either way," he responds easily, leaning back into his desk chair. This seems to placate her, but not for long as she checks her phone with a look of distraught.

"Merida still hasn't given me the signal yet, so I don't even know if it's okay to go back yet."

His eyebrow quirks at statement. "What do you mean, signal?"

Tooth looks up from the middle of another text to her roommate, and the question causes her to play with her hair in embarrassment as she mulls over the best way to explain this to him.

"It's kind of like, a code we thought up when we first moved in. It's silly, really, but it works. If you want to room to yourself for something, you send a...a pineapple." She looks over at him and his growing smile, and has to steel herself before continuing. "And when you're done, you send a dolphin. I haven't gotten a dolphin yet." Her statement is final, and she ends it in a way that implies it was all common sense, which causes another laugh to rise up from his chest.

"I've never heard of that before. Dolphins and pineapples?"

The 'yeah' she mumbles in response is half hidden as she continues to text, trying to ignore his echoing chuckles. Jack decides to take a moment to look over his neighbour – after all, seeing her stationary for more than a split second was a rare sight, so he might as well take advantage of the opportunity while it presented itself. He'd never really registered how short she was before; he doubted that she reached any higher than his shoulder. Her cheeks are still a bit flushed, and he rather likes the colour that lingers on her – it gives a rosy flush to her olive skin, and he wonders for a moment how far it goes down her neck. However, it's the streaks of colour in her wavy-brown tresses that really snag his attention, the jewel tones catching the light in the room and giving her an entrancing glow. A frustrated scowl mars her gentle features, and he doesn't quite know how to feel about seeing her in a distraught state. She obviously can't go back to her room, but she probably also has class tomorrow – which leaves her in a bed-less, room-less, state.

Luckily for her, he just might have a solution for that.

xxx

"Hey Tooth."

Looking up, her eyes are immediately drawn to Jack's own, and she's surprised she didn't break her neck given the speed of her reaction. Just the way he says her name ( _well, nickname, but that's not important_ ) sends a pleasant shiver down her spine, and it takes all of her effort to hum in acknowledgement.

It was strange – and a little terrifying – at how quickly she could go from speechless to chattering non-stop in front of the boy. Talking about things to him came as easy as breathing; he was a master of conversation, and easily went along with whatever topic they conversed about. Talking _to_ him, though, was another matter. A matter that required a lot of concentration so that she didn't embarrass herself in front of him, and a steadfast train of thought.

A train of thought that quickly became de-railed at his next few words.

"Why don't you just stay the night?"

The question lingers in the air, and it takes Tooth a moment to register what he's just said because Jack couldn't be serious could he, that would be ridiculous –

"- and like, oh my gosh - I mean - thank you for the offer, but I would be _such_ a bother and I just couldn't impose on you like that, you paid for a single room after all and you wouldn't want me as a roommate anyways because I grind my teeth and I'm so picky and –"

"Whoa Tooth! Slow down, take a breath girl." Jack interrupts her rambling with a swift laugh, and it takes her a moment to realize that she's said all that out loud. She can feel a flush spread across her cheeks, but before she can start apologizing he cuts her off.

"I'm not saying ya need to be my roommate, just that maybe you should crash here for the night. After all, sounds like _your_ roommate is going to be up all night." As if reading his mind, there is a loud thump that emanates from the wall attached her room, and Tooth looks appropriately embarrassed on Merida's behalf. Taking a leisurely stretch, he flops down on his bed with an exaggerated yawn and makes a show of making himself comfortable.

"Besides, would you rather wait out in the hallway?" At this, Tooth has to take a moment to consider her options. On one hand, it would be nice to have somewhere to sleep tonight.

On the other hand, this is Jackson Overland she's talking about.

Jackson 'Jack' Overland, the dreamy social science major known across campus as one of the most attractive freshmen this year. Jack Overland, her next-door neighbour and resident crush that was quickly developing into something more, as she got to know him better. Jack, _with the perfect everything_.

Really, she'd be stupid to pass this up – or at least, that's what she tries to tell herself. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, so why is she so hesitant? As she worries her lower lip, she can see Jack sit up with a concerned look that makes her heart skip a beat.

"Tooth, if you'd rather not, that's totally okay. We can see if any of the girls down the hallway are up, and you can crash with them for the night." He looks away from her, running forlorn fingers through his hair. Tooth inhales sharply, realizing that her chance is slipping right in front of her. "It was a stupid suggestion anyways, forget it."

"No!"

Her outburst startles the both of them – Jack jumps slightly, and she recoils at the sound, but she's already gotten her feet wet. Might as well take the plunge while she's at it.

"I mean, I...I'd love to. Stay the night. Here. If you'll still have me." Her voice peters out as she speaks, until it's nothing but a mumble at the end. Crystalline eyes linger on her for a moment before his laughter fills the room. She smiles, nervously, excitedly, wholeheartedly, because the sound is music to her ears.

"Here." The next thing she knows, Tooth is covered by spare blankets and crinkled pillows, and she yelps as she tries to dig herself out from underneath them. "I don't know how comfy that couch is, but it should do the job."

Part of her is thankful that he doesn't offer his bed to her – _because that would be so embarrassing and so awkward and oh goodness she couldn't even think about it_ – but a small part of her is disappointed. She quickly brushes that off and when she resurfaces, she flashes him a heartfelt grin.

"Thanks Jack. Goodnight."

"'Night, Tooth."

xxx

Not even a week later, she receives a grand total of 5 pineapple emojis - all within the span of a minute. Either that meant Merida was bringing back five guys ( _highly unlikely_ ), or that they were literally around the corner.

So much for a half hour heads up.

Quickly gathering up her bag before booking it out of the room, Tooth decides to make herself at home in the study down the hall so as to avoid any awkward encounters. It's not an unreasonable time of night, but given the redhead's track record, she's worried that she might be left without a bed to sleep in yet again.

She catches Hiccup and Astrid on the tail end of what looks to be a study date. Both of them look up when she enters the room, and the blonde motions for her to sit down with them. Tooth flashes them a grateful smile as she plops down a textbook on the opposite end of the table.

"Hey! How's it going?"

"Not bad. I'm studying, Hiccup here is just complaining about how much he hates chemistry," Astrid answers easily, flicking her boyfriend on the forehead in a teasing manner. She lives down the hall from Tooth, and they get along fairly well despite being in different programs. Hiccup rolls his eyes, before yelping in surprise at the sharp pain.

"I've been studying too! But Tooth would back me up about this unit being pointless, right?" At that, she lets out a small chuckle. They share the same lab period, although she's not too sure why someone in mechanical engineering has to take chemistry of all things ( _something about mandatory electives, she remembers – she wasn't paying attention when he explained it to her_ ). Regardless, she does share his sentiment – stoichiometry and gas laws aren't key features of dentistry, so the subject doesn't really hold her interest.

"It's not too bad." She responds, taking a cursory look at her readings before her attention is called back by Astrid.

"What are you doing up this late anyways? Didn't think you were much of a night owl, Tooth," She comments, brushing her fringe back idly.

"Well, um, my room is...occupied. Merida brought someone back so I had to get out of there." This causes the pair to send each other a surprised look; Astrid is the first to recover, and does so with a sagely nod.

"That's rough. I'm glad Rapunzle can't do that to me, since Eugene doesn't even go here," She chuckles before looking at Tooth with concern. "Do you have somewhere to sleep? I'd offer up my room, but we don't have an extra bed or anything."

She fidgets, thinking about what happened last time she was without a room. It had crossed her mind to ask if Jack, and see if he wouldn't mind letting her stay at his place again. At the same time, Tooth figured that she had already used up her once-in-a-lifetime chance, and that pressing her luck would just leave her empty handed.

"Why don't you ask Jack?" It's an innocent question, Tooth supposes, but it doesn't stop her from looking at Hiccup like he's lost a limb. "He's got a single room, and a couch if I remember right." Astrid nods in agreement, echoing the idea while she beings to pack up her stuff.

"I...I could. Ask him, I guess. I wouldn't want to bother him, though."

"Bother Jack? Hardly," Hiccup snorts. "He'd be more likely to bother you, if anything." He pauses for a moment, as if re-evaluating what he's just said, before correcting himself. "Uh, scratch that. He's a good guy, really."

"Who's a good guy?"

Tooth's breath hitches, recognizing the speaker's deep timbre, and she twists in her seat so fast she swear she sees fairies circling her head. Of _course_ he would be walking by the hall just as they were talking about him. Jack, in all of his glory, has an armful of books in his hand and his head cocked to the side while he looks around the room. A smirk dances across his lips and she can't quite remember to breathe out.

Luckily, Hiccup is not quite so star-struck as she is. "You, surprisingly," he retorts dryly, though without any bite.

"I'm honoured." Jack takes a bow, and adds a flourish before he rights himself. He glances over to her through the wisps of his fringe, and all she can muster is a weak smile under the scrutiny of his gaze.

"Actually, this is perfect timing," Astrid says, popping up from behind Hiccup's shoulder. "Are you free tonight?"

Jack hums in thought, letting the question mull as he shifts his attention between the blonde and Toothiana. Something sparkles in his eyes, and she can't help but think that he's standing just a _little bit taller_ and smiling _a little bit wider_ when he pieces together what Astrid is implying.

(It's all nonsense, really. She shouldn't be getting her hopes up.)

"Depends. Why do you wanna know?" The fact that he's even asking at all is unnecessary, given the way he's looking at her with mirth on his face. He clearly knows what's going on, and he just wants her to say it out loud.

Fine. She's never been one to back down from a challenge anyways.

"I need a place to crash tonight. I was hoping your couch would be available...if it's not too much trouble." Despite the false bravado that she injects in her voice, Tooth still finds herself catching the ends of her hair with nervous fingers and hoping that she's not imposing.

"Why Tooth. I'd be honoured to invite you into my humble abode. As they say, _mi casa es su casa._ " Jack adds just enough flourish to draw a snort of laughter from her, and a caustic eye roll from Hiccup as he and Astrid head out. Nevertheless, she begins to gather up her things, dog-earring her (admittedly pathetic) progress in her readings. Jack walks over to help her out, and just as she fits everything back in her bag, she makes the mistake of making eye contact with Astrid before she leaves.

Something mischievous twinkles in her cobalt eyes as she calls out "Make sure to use protection!" before leaving. Tooth's jaw drops as she flushes crimson, sputtering indignantly.

xxx

' _She's pretty_ ','is the only thought that crosses his mind when her cheeks turn bright red.

xxx

They make it back to his room without any other incidents, in which Tooth is grateful for. She doesn't think her heart can handle it.

xxx

Tooth isn't sure if it's just a coincidence, or maybe the man in the moon is shining down on her, but Merida starts to regularly bring over boys to their dorm room. She's sure she'd have it in her to complain, if Jack didn't keep offering up his place as consolation. ( _Although spending time with Jack is anything but; on the contrary, she feels like she's won the world)_. Barring that, life goes on, albeit with the addition of his number in her phone and escalated risks of cardiac failure (mainly when she spends time with him, which increases at an alarming frequency).

Things change, though, when she shows up at his door with a pillow tucked in the crook of her arm and he answers with a disgruntled frown. Tooth freezes, and she can feel her heart drop to the pit of her stomach.

This is it. This is the moment that Jack has decided that she's too loud, too talkative, too clingy, too _everything_. Her breath hitches as she watches him clear his throat, and _this is it._

"So... I've kind of got bad news." Tooth can't find it in her to speak, but he doesn't seem to notice as he continues on. "My couch kind of got confiscated. Freaking Pitch threatened to write me up if I didn't put it back." The scowl pulling harshly on his lips snaps her out of her self-induced panic, and things start to click into place.

"How...how did Pitch even find out about that?" Even saying his name is enough to leave a sour taste in her mouth, and for good reason. Their notoriously absent-yet-hardass residence advisor Pitch Black was the kind of guy you tried to avoid best you could. He was amazing at turning petty infractions into full-blown issues, and the general consensus was that he was a nasty guy with nothing better to do with his time.

"He said that the custodial staff ratted me out, but I wouldn't be surprised if he came in on his own to bust me on something." A frustrated huff escapes Jack, as he tries his best to brush off his anger. He and Pitch weren't exactly on...great terms, to say the least. Most of the time, Pitch went out of his way to give the boy a hard time, which only made Tooth's anger flare up even more.

"That...that, two faced, good for nothing _slime!_ " She huffs, crossing her arms and trying to keep from seeing red. "He has no right to just snoop around like that! Ugh, Jack, I swear, if I got my hands on him..."

"Hey, hey, there's no need to call the cavalry just for me." A calming smile is flashed her way, and Tooth's daydream of punching the molars out of Pitch quickly dissipates. "Where I was going with all this is that because Pitch took my couch, I dunno if you wanna stay here tonight."

"...Oh."

There's a silence that follows, and Tooth can't think of anything smart that would break the awkward tension while maintaining their whatever-this-is relationship.

So, of course, she says the first thing that comes to mind instead.

"Well, at least you still have your bed, right?"

xxx

Jack is caught off guard by the bold statement, but before he can even formulate a witty response – _one that will show her that he's clever and engaging and a little bit snarky but a whole lotta fun at the same time_ – she seems to realize what she's said. Her eyes widen and a quick little gasp escapes from her lips before she launches into a tirade of apologies.

" – and I am so sorry, I can't _believe_ I just said that, I didn't mean that at all! Well I mean, I did, because we were talking about furniture and I'm just glad that Pitch didn't take your bed too, but that sounded completely like something I _didn't_ mean at the slightest –"

"Hey, hey! Tooth!" He places a gentle hand on her shoulder with a quick shake, so as to snap her out of her current state. "Its fine, you don't need to apologize."

"I- I just, wow. Uh. I'm so sorry," She mumbles ( _at a considerably lower words-per-minute rate than before_ ), not quite making eye contact with him. Her hands fly to her face in an attempt to hide her growing blush. "I can find somewhere else to stay, Jack."

Something about that – the idea of Tooth staying the night somewhere else, that is – makes his chest constrict in an uncomfortable way ( _although he can't quite pin down why that bothers him in the first place)._ His palm rests steady on the slope of her shoulder, and he musters the most charming grin he has before dissuading her.

"You can crash here for the night. I really don't mind at all." As he speaks, he turns and slowly ushers the girl inside, but gives her an out by leaving the door open just in case she wants to change her mind. The gesture seems unnecessary, though, as she smiles sheepishly ( _charmingly, heart-stoppingly_ ) and allows Jack to lead her in. She pauses for a moment before claiming half of his bed by placing her own pillow on one side, and he can't help but think that he likes the look of this much more than just his barren sheets alone.

"Are you sure this is okay, Jack?" She asks slowly, softly - as if talking to a child - and it sooths the nervous energy thrumming in his veins. He watches as she tucks herself in, folding sparrow limbs under one another until she looks right at home.

 _(He could watch that every night and never get tired of it_ ).

He makes sure to close the door gently before shuffling himself into bed beside her, and despite the layers of clothing and blankets separating them, he could feel the warmth emanating from the girl next to him.

"Of course it is, Tooth. Would you rather have stayed somewhere else?" Although he asks with a teasing lilt, he really _does_ want to know if she's okay with all of this.

His question seems to spark another flurry of through in Tooth's mind, and it's interesting seeing the gears in her mind spin as she considers her options. Part of him hopes that he's not imposing on her, that she enjoys his company as much as he likes hers, but he quashes that thought because she's not obliged to think anything about him.

"I like spending time with you, Jack." Her words are soft and sincere, uttered with a sort of reverence that catches him off guard. He's stunned, and any words that he had on the tip of his tongue melt away like snow on a spring day. She looks at him with a deep warmth that shines in her gaze, and he's held captive in her eyes.

( _He's more than okay with that_ ).

There is something stirring in his chest, and although he cannot turn that feeling into words, he hopes that the gratitude in his smile is enough to convey his thankfulness.

"Night, Tooth."

"Goodnight, Jack."

xxx

Their weekly sleepovers continue with relative consistency – barring exams, because Tooth learns that they have radically different study schedules. While she likes to wake up early with a structured plan for the day, Jack tends to just do whatever he feels like, whenever he feels like.

 _("Wherever the wind blows, I follow," so he says, and Tooth would have knocked his teeth out if he didn't flash her that perfect smile of his.)_

Everything starts to fall into a routine, one that becomes familiar at a startling rate, and it just makes sense that they start grabbing lunch together in between classes or waiting for the other to finish before heading home. No matter how many times she sees him, Jack-with-the-perfect-everything never fails to make her heart thrum against her ribcage, and it was painfully, frighteningly, amazingly addicting.

She also learns that waking up next to Jack is quickly becoming her new favourite thing. The feeling of his soft murmurs rumbling across her pillow always makes her voice catch in her throat, and she revels in the look in his eyes when he wishes her good morning. On the off chance he wakes up before her, she imagines that he runs his fingers through her hair until she rouses from her sleep ( _what else would explain her atrocious bed-head?)_ ; otherwise, she'll spend those precious moments in the morning wondering how she got here, how she doesn't want to leave, and how their fingers would fit together.

Despite all this - the smiles he sends her way and the jokes he tells just for her - Tooth can't rid herself of the nagging feeling that this was all too good to be true. These things like this didn't happen to girls like her, especially not with guys like him.

She doesn't want to think that she's right, but it all starts before their reading week in the middle of an impromptu meet up. She's complaining about classes and updating him on the floor gossip – _telling herself that it's all harmless, really_ – and right now, she's catching him up on how a bunch of them almost got written up for trying to smuggle Hiccup's pet dog into the residence.

"So they made it past front desk and Merida, you know, my roommate – by the way, have you met her before?" She asks offhandedly, still flipping through her papers.

"Nope. Haven't met a Merida my whole life." His answer is sharp and icy, and when combined with the fact that Tooth hadn't been expecting an answer in the first place, causes her to look at him with furrowed brows. Before she can further probe him (" _are you sure? because i swear she mentioned that she's taking a business class and well, you major in that"_ ) he continues. "Hey, doesn't this look like Aster?"

A phone screen with a rather grumpy looking kangaroo is shoved in her general direction, but she really only catches a glance before he takes it back and continues scrolling. His unusual callousness – _because even if he was snarky and stubborn at times, he was never quite like this_ – puts her on edge, and the only thing that she can think to do is go along with the shift in conversation.

 _(Because although she can be strong and steadfast, she has never been brave enough, not really._ )

 _(She does not think she can afford to lose him either, and she can sense that they are teetering on a precipice that has a fall she does not want to take_.)

( _She is not brave enough to honest._ )

"Yeah," she whispers, and she can only muster an echo of amusement. "Just don't let him hear you say that."

He hums in acknowledgement, but the icy front doesn't quite dissipate, and she can't quite find it in her to continue her story.

So she leaves it at that, and hopes that everything is still fine.

( _It is, it will be, it has to be_.)

xxx

Tooth wakes up to Jack's obnoxious ringtone, and she rolls over to face him.

"Phone," She grumbles, resisting the urge to kick him in the side.

"You're closer," He responds, and he has the gall to turn away from her. Briefly, she entertains the idea of stealing the sheets, but she knows it's a losing battle no matter what so she begrudgingly reaches out to answer it.

"H'llo?"

"JACKSON O'ERLAND. What in the lord's name do ya think yo'er doing!? If you don't get y'er ass to class in the next 10 minutes we're gonna _fail_ and ay would ratha' skewer you with an arrow _to the face_." Merida's Scottish brogue is enough to jolt her wide awake, and it seems to do the same to Jack. Somehow, his pale face loses even more colour and he grabs the phone from her hands.

"Shit Merida I am _so sorry_ I'm on my way right now!" He barrels out of bed, trying to slip on a sweater and pants at the same time.

All Tooth feels is a sense of dread as he rushes around the room and grabs his things. Slowly, she unravels herself from the covers and sits upright, watching him slip his shoes on before turning ( _reluctantly, hesitantly, cautiously_ ) to face her.

"I'm sorry," is the last thing he says before leaving the room.

It takes the a moment for it to all settle ( _down, deep into the pit of her stomach_ ) before she draws herself out of his bed, a strange empty feeling pushing her forwards as she gathers her things.

"Oh Jack," she starts, closing the door gently behind her. "What have you done?"

xxx

 _ **To: Jack  
From: Tooth  
10:37 AM**_

 _ **You told me that you didn't know Merida.**_

 _ **To: Jack  
From: Tooth  
11:14 AM**_

 _ **Jack, please don't ignore me.**_

 _ **To: Jack  
From: Tooth  
4:03 PM**_

 _ **Why did you lie to me?**_

xxx

Tooth groans as she looks at the string of messages – she can just _feel_ the desperation emanating from them _–_ and oh god, she's the worst. She's making him feel bad and she's really not in any place to be scolding him because she was never his keeper in the first place. He never owed her anything and he was allowed to say whatever he wanted to whomever he chose.

However, none of these thoughts are enough to fill the empty feeling in her chest ( _or the empty half of the bed that she leaves open for a reason she can't explain_ ), so she turns her attention back to her notes, and hopes that chemical equations and anatomy will be enough to keep her minds off of his perfect eyes, perfect hair, perfect _everything_.

xxx

He doesn't respond to the messages ( _and she is silently thankful for that, because she doesn't think she could stand to hear from him_ ) and the next thing she knows, she's home for the break and back in school a week later, making pleasantries and telling others that yes, her break was great and "how was yours?"

She doesn't message him again, and he doesn't wait for her at the end of class, and she supposes that this is their new understanding now.

( _She tells herself to suck it up, because he never owed her anything in the first place anyways_ ).

She supposes it hurts, but _hurt_ doesn't quite encompass the guilty, angry, disappointment she has for him ( _and maybe herself_ ), so she does her best to keep her head afloat because being emotional won't get her through her midterms. She's in the middle of reviewing one of her lectures when a sharp knock at the door diverts her attention.

'Probably Merida, wanting to get her headphones', she thinks with a shake of her head as she gets up. ( _The stream of messages from the redhead told her that she had left her them behind but she had lost her roomkey so was she in the room to please please please let her in?_ ). She grabs the tangled cord off the other desk, and doesn't bother to check before swinging the door in.

That's her downfall, really. That, and the shy, boyish smirk that greets her.

 _(Her knees don't quite give out, but she can't quite keep a hold on the headphones so they fall to the floor in her place_ ).

She stares with wide eyes and his name dances on the tip of her tongue, but she's frozen in place because she can't quite believe that he's here.

"Mind if I come in?" He asks, leaning on the doorframe in a casual manner that she can't help but envy ( _because she's been nothing but a bundle of nerves while he looks like nothing has happened_ ). Slowly, she regains feelings of her limbs and shuffles to the side to give him access. As he walks by, she can't help but catch the hint of musk and clean rain that lingers on his sweater, and she nearly loses it right then and there.

( _Keep it together Tooth!_ )

Closing the door behind her, she takes a moment to try and gather her wits before leveling him with a flat look. He doesn't quite meet her stare, but there's no indication of any tension in his lanky build and that causes the corners of her mouth to tug downwards.

"I didn't mean to lie to you." His voice has a deep rumble to it, and she hasn't heard it in so long that it sends a shiver down her spine. "Things just kind of got...out of hand, but that was my fault."

Jack takes this moment to finally look her in the eyes, and it takes everything in her not to melt under his gaze.

"I just want you to understand, before you get all angry at me. I mean, you have every right to be angry, but just hear me out." She nods in agreement, but all she can really focus on are his hands – _sinewy and strong, but with a slender litheness that makes her wonder what they would feel like on her skin_. Right now, he holds them in the air, placating and hoping to curb any anger she may use against him.

Well, she _is_ angry, but she supposes she'll listen to what he has to say.

"You've always been kinda hard to talk to, ya know? Not that you're anti-social or anything, but you were with other people all the time and it wasn't easy to find a chance to get to know you without someone else butting in. I mean, the first time we really talked was when you got sexiled out of your room, so that made me...think." Jack looks at her with a sheepish smile at that, pausing for a moment before continuing.

"Merida was in my business class, and we were on pretty good terms, so I asked if she'd be willing to pretend to sexile you so that I could talk to you more. Nothing too crazy, but enough that you'd come over more often. Hopefully. It worked, but when you mentioned her, I kinda freaked because I thought you'd put together the dots and stop coming over, and you'd think that I was some weirdo who didn't even have the guts to start a conversation without her roommate helping out. So yeah. I'm sorry," he finishes, lamely scratching the back of his neck. His cheeks are tinged with pink, and she can't decide between feeling flattered or indignant.

Tooth settles with walking up to him until they're nearly chest to chest. Her first instinct is to place her hand on her hips and rail him out, but instead, they find purchase on the hard planes of his torso.

She decides to feel honest ( _with herself, with him, with all of this_ ).

"Jackson Overland, if you ever use Merida – or anyone else – as an excuse to talk to me, I will personally pull out all of your teeth. " Her voice is surprisingly steady and she looks up at him. She doesn't know where this bravado is coming from, but she's tired and doesn't want to dance around how the boy in front of her makes her feel anymore.

His eyes widen, and she vaguely registers them lowering to her height as she tries to process the feel of his hands on her hips at the same time. Jack lets loose a chuckle, and she can feel it rumble underneath his sternum ( _a sensation she could get addicted to, she really could_ ).

"Never again. Scout's honour," he reassures, voice low and laced with promise. Before she can respond, his lips are on hers and she _melts_.

Jack-with-the-perfect-kisses has...well, perfect kisses, and Tooth loses track of everything except the feeling of skin and happiness. When he pulls away, her breath catches, but they stay intertwined, her hands having drifted to his neck while his pull her closer to him.

"Does that mean I'm forgiven?" He asks, hopefully, boyishly, with a twinkle in his eyes and a smile spreading across his face.

Tooth can only respond with laughter that quickly becomes muffled as she presses her lips back onto his.

"Barely. Only if you've saved my spot on your mattress."

Another rumble of laughter courses through his body, and Jack looks at her as if she is the sun. "It was always yours."

x

 _baby you don't have to rush  
you can leave a toothbrush  
at my place  
at my place_

x

* * *

a/n: when i first heart DNCE's ' _Toothbrush'_ on the radio (way back, bc this fic has been under progress for like a year), i immediately thought of Tooth and Jack. the lyrics as so dumb but it's _so catchy_ so definitely give it a listen! will literally give u cavities okay, i definitely headcanon jack's singing voice as joe jonas, especially w/ the little 'awoo' he does. also give DNCE a listen, luv their stuff!

fun fact when i was in residence in university, there were two girls that used a pineapple emoji to signal when they had a guy in the room. they never really explained why it was a pineapple, but i thought it was pretty funny hah

hope you all enjoyed! i apologize for the meh ending but i really wanted to get this out! one of my sweet spots is some nice jack x tooth and tbh they need more love! this is my first time writing rotg so any and all feedback is appreciated

for reference:

Tooth – dentistry

Jack – business

Aster – enviro sci

Merida – political sci

Hiccup – mech eng

Astrid – kin


End file.
